“Starry Night Sky,” a utility box painting at 200 West Water St. is pictured here. The Downtown Committee launched the Utility Box Art Project in 2024. The committee needs artists to paint three more utility boxes in 2025. Credit: Yolanda Stewart | Central Current

Hoping to bring a more vibrant touch to downtown Syracuse, the Downtown Committee is bringing utility boxes into focus. 

For years, utility boxes have attracted graffiti. The committee is now looking for artistic designs to cover three utility boxes across the city. The effort is part of Unboxed, a project by the committee to beautify downtown Syracuse. 

“I think when you see communities that have murals or sculptures, other installations of public art, it really speaks to how much people value art in their community and a public space,” said Merike Treier, Executive Director of the Downtown Committee. “We were thrilled to be able to secure funding for this program.”

The Downtown Committee has called for submissions by artists, who will be paid for their work. The deadline is April 27.

The project started last year with designs painted by two artists, Ally Walker and Lydia Nichols. The artwork is meant to transform public infrastructure that is often unnoticed. By mid-summer, community members can expect to see a few more additions pop up around the area. 

Walker contributed two designs: “Starry Night Sky” at 200 West Water Street and “The Library Come to Life” at the corner of East Fayette and Montgomery streets. 

Walker’s and Nichols’ designs covered utility boxes near the Ice Cream Stand, located at 200 West Water Street, and near the Courtyard Syracuse Downtown in Armory Square. Nichols designed “Keep Syracuse Salty” at the corner of West Fayette and South Franklin streets.

Both of Walker’s utility box art designs have intentional connections to the surrounding places. 

Walker’s “Starry Night” features an upward-facing telescope design influenced by the architecture in and around Clinton Square. Walker’s imagery encourages people to look upward, as if looking toward the sky, and brings viewers’ attention to the buildings, she said. 

In Walker’s “Library Come to Life” illustration, she wanted to add another community resource to the exterior of St.Paul’s Church. There is an existing community food pantry. Walker envisioned a community library showcasing a collection of books with the characters popping out of the stories and seemingly coming to life. 

Walker first saw a similar project in Ithaca. Now that it’s been implemented locally, Walker smiles when she sees how the designs are adding vibrancy to the city and offer a renewed outlook to the community.

“It’s kind of neat to have a little something of yours,” Walker said. “I do it for me, I do it for everybody, [for] people on their daily commutes and whatnot. Hopefully, it just makes them smile, too.”

Walker already has her sights set on another utility box in downtown Syracuse and is hoping to be selected for the second round. 

This year’s project has three targeted utility box locations: 

  • The corner of East Jefferson and East Onondaga streets, near the Carnegie Building
  • The corner of West Jefferson and South Salina streets, near the Landmark Theatre
  • The corner of West Fayette and South Salina streets

To get the project underway, the committee took inspiration from other East Coast cities, including Portland, Maine and Washington, D.C. Its goal for Syracuse was to create a way to prevent graffiti tagging on public infrastructure by replacing it with sanctioned artwork, Treier said. 

All art submissions will go before panelists and proceed to a community vote in May. The public will choose the winning designs. The Syracuse Public Arts Commission will approve all the selected artworks.

The finalists of the Utility Box Art Project will be publicly announced in June, with the art being put on the utility boxes from mid-June through July. 

“I’m a big advocate for art everywhere,” Walker said. “So, the more and more we can put up, and things we can paint, I think that’s huge.”

For more information and details on how to submit artwork before April 27, visit the Downtown Committee of Syracuse website.

Read more of Central Current’s coverage

Yolanda Stewart was raised in the Bronx, New York City. Before choosing a career path in journalism she found a voice in writing plays, short stories, and a myriad of other creative outlets. She is a 2022...